About the Artwork

THE TALE OF TWO BAD MICE published 1904

‘The Tale of Two Bad Mice’ was written at a particularly happy time for Beatrix Potter: she and her editor, Norman Warne, were becoming firm friends, and Beatrix was sometimes included in Warne family celebrations.  Norman made a new cage for Beatrix’s pet mice, Tom Thumb and Hunca Munca, so that she could more easily draw them for her new book.  He had also made a doll’s house for his favourite niece, Winifred, and Beatrix was invited to visit and sketch this too.  However, her mother objected, and so Beatrix had to make do with photographs and examples of doll’s furniture and food that Norman sent her.  She kept some of the furniture all her life, and it can still be seen at Hill Top, her first Lakeland home.

Beatrix Potter dedicated the book to Winifred, “For W.M.L.W., the little girl who had the doll’s house.”